Mail-bag lock.



.|. C. M. SUTTON.

MAIL BAG LOCK. Ar'PLlcmm'x men Aus.a1.k1 91sv.

- Patented July 11,1916. Y

1HE Noanls Prrsns co., bvlsnmararv, n. c.

JOHN C. M. SUTTON, F BELLEVUE, NEBRASKA.

MAIL-BAG LOCK.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916.

Application filed August 31, 1915. Serial No. 48,341.

@Zlio/1.0m it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN C. M. SUTTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellevue, in the county of Sarpy and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Locks;

. and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of' the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mail bag locks and the principal object of the device 1s to provide a lock which is at all times secured to and carried by the mail bag to avoid the possibility of loss.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mail bag lock which is supported on the bag encircling band so that as soon as the band is clamped around the the neck of the bag, the lock will be in position to be closed. Y

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel supporting means for the lock and to provide a band for surrounding the neck of the bag, which will confine the folds of the cloth and prevent the contents of the bag from being lost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts which will be fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view ofl a bag showing my improved lock and band applied thereto. F ig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. l is a transverse sectional view through the device showing it in its locked position.

Referring now to the drawings by characters of reference, the numeral 1 designates the cloth from which the bag -is made to which the lock is secured.

The lock above referred to comprises the ring or link 2, which is secured in place by means of the pintle band 3 on which a hollow loop 4L is formed at each opposite end. These loops extend around the ring or link 2 as *shown in the figures of the drawing and is formed with a central opening through which the shank of the bolt 5 extends. This bolt extends through the opening and through a hole formed in the bag 1 and the inner end thereof is threaded to extend through the threaded opening' formed in the nut 6. The bolt is preferably provided with a transverse opening for the reception of the cotter pin 7, which will prevent the lock from being lost and thus prevent the lock from separating from the bag. Pivotally connected to the side bars of the link or ring 2 are the arms designated generally by the numerals 8 and 9 and each of these arms comprises a strip of metal 10 which is bent back upon itself to form a loop 11 which loop surrounds one of the vertical arms of the link 2. The suitable binding strip 12 surrounds the parallel portions of the strip 10 and the edges thereof are bent inwardly as shown in Fig. 1 to prevent the sharp edges of the strip 10 fromv being exposed. The ends of the strip 10 opposite the loop 11 project in parallel relation as at 13 and are spaced from each other to accommodate the side lock 14 provided with the recess 15 into which the staple of the coperating arm 8 extends. The arm 8 is constructed identically with the arm 9, but instead of being provided with the extension 13 is formed with a pair of spaced openings through which the hooked end 15a ofthe staple 16 extends. The opposite end of this staple is secured in any suitable manner in the strip 10 and the bight portion of the staple extends into the recess l5 of the lock 14C. The extreme end of the strip 10 is bent back upon itself as at 17 to prevent the sharp edges from being exposed, thereby protecting the user against injury."

It will be apparent from the foregoing that in use, when the bag is to be locked the neck thereof is rolled so as to be confined between the arms 8 and 9. The arms are then closed and it will be apparent that the staple 16 will pass into the recess 15 and be engaged by the shackle of the lock 14 so as to prevent the device from being removed until the lock is opened.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredv embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that such changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts as will fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is `1. A device of the class described comprising the combination with a mail bag, of a link secured thereto, arms pivoted to the side bars of the link, a lock carried by one of the arms and means carried byl the other arm and coperating with the lock'to lgiold the arms connected and encircling the 2. In combination with a mail bag, a link detachably securedto the bag, curved arms secured to opposite sides of the link, a lock carried by one of the arms and a staple carried by the opposite arm, saidstaple coperating with the lock in holding the arms in position to encircle the bag.

3. In combination,- a mail bag, a link, a strip secured to the link andprovided'with a central aperture, a bolt extending through 15 the aperture in the strip andl through the bag, means to retain the bolt in place, curved arms pivoted to the link, a lock carried by one of the arms and a staple carried by the cooperating arm to be engaged 2n Copies yof this patent may be obtainedvfor ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

